Kashmiri Shaivism

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Tue, 30 Apr 2002, Service wrote:

> Dear Jaldar:
>
> There is 'no conflict between Kashmiri Shivism and
> Advaita Vedanta' is the instruction of Muktananda
> Paramahansa, preemminent kundalini master and founder
> of Siddha Yoga.
>
> The idea that the world is a 'reflection' in Shivism
> and a 'superimposition' in Advaita are not
> contradictory. First both are just that 'ideas', they
> indicate that the world is a temporal play of
> consciousness. Either a reflection or a superimposition
> the world is an 'empirical' experience of the observer.
>
> The question is 'Who is the observer? When the observer
> has merged with the observed, both disappear in pure
> awareness. There is no body, no mind, no
> object...indeed no world. All has merged in the
> brightness of seeing.
>
> The identity of the seer, independent of even tradtion
> - is the witness to the unalloyed flow of Truth alone.
> >From the point of view of eternity, the fragrance of
> the seer - the world does not 'exist' as such for
> either tradition. All forms are impermanent. All forms
> are insentient. The spirit alone is the sentient seer.
> The Self within.
>
> Form enables us to extract knowledge from the plenum of
> Truth. Thus form enables us to expand our minds and
> hearts until the identity of the observer has merged
> with the supreme source. The Absolute. Spirit without
> form.
>
> This is my understanding.
>

I guess the problem i am having is understanding what is the nature of the
sentient seer.  If he is already Shiva then what is there to see?  Advaita
Vedanta says that the essential Shiva-nature of the atma has been
"obscured" or "forgotten" because of Maya.  But if you do not accept that
idea then where do the impermanent names and forms come from?  The
Kashmiri Shaivism website (I do not know if it is accurately representing
the philosophy or not but let us assume it is.) suggests it is the
kriyashakti (power of creation) of Shiva Bhagawan which is responsible but
then we come to the problem facing all theisms.  Is God such a sadist that
He creates beings only to torture and destroy them?  Or is it
Shiva-as-atma who creates?  Then you have the problem of idealism.  If we
are all doing our own creating, why do most things look so similiar to
all of us?

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/
>From ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG Wed May  1 00:08:47 2002
Message-Id: <WED.1.MAY.2002.000847.0700.ADVAITAL at LISTS.ADVAITAVEDANTA.ORG>
Date: Wed, 1 May 2002 00:08:47 -0700
Reply-To: List for advaita vedanta as taught by Shri Shankara
        <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
To: List for advaita vedanta as taught by Shri Shankara
        <ADVAITA-L at LISTS.ADVAITA-VEDANTA.ORG>
From: Swaminarayan T <tvswaminarayan at YAHOO.COM>
Subject: new memberships
Comments: cc: chandru at vsnl.com, lalita_iyer at yahoo.com,
        savitrirajaram at hotmail.com
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Dear Modaerator,

Kindly include the following as members in our Advaita list and oblige.

Thanking you,

Hari Om!

Swaminartayan

___________________________________________________

1. Mr. T.V.Sitaram--------address:chandru5 at vsnl.com

2.Mrs. Lalita Iyer----------address:Lalita_iyer at yahoo.com

3.Mrs.Savitri Rajaram--address:savitrirajaram at hotmail.com



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<P>Dear Modaerator,</P>
<P>Kindly include the following as members in our Advaita list and oblige.</P>
<P>Thanking you,</P>
<P>Hari Om!</P>
<P>Swaminartayan</P>
<P>___________________________________________________</P>
<P>1. Mr. T.V.Sitaram--------address:chandru5 at vsnl.com</P>
<P>2.Mrs. Lalita Iyer----------address:Lalita_iyer at yahoo.com</P>
<P>3.Mrs.Savitri Rajaram--address:savitrirajaram at hotmail.com</P><p><br><hr size=1><b>Do You Yahoo!?</b><br>
<a href="http://rd.yahoo.com/welcome/*http://health.yahoo.com">Yahoo! Health</a> - your guide to health and wellness
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